The only people your hurting
by Roz-Scott
Summary: Rhy-ann Cordray had always been friends with Tom Milsom but after last summers events will he sever his ties with her? Will Rhy find London as inviting with no friends, family or a job? Also reviews are always welcomed!
1. Chapter 1

And if someone should fall behind,  
just let their suffering slip your mind.  
Are there Giants too in the dance?  
'Cause this is about life and life isn't about death.  
Help me escape from lonely choirs.

By: Meg & Dia

* * *

**-When we first met-**

When I was about twelve years old I remember going with my father to London, he was going on business, and I went with to help weaken the sting of his and my mother's divorce. After the first day I was entrapped in the surroundings, never wanting to leave but the next well, the next changed my life. I remember my father telling me I would have to stay with his neighbors since he would be away at meetings all day. At first I was furious, I mean bring me across the sea just to leave me? How could he do that? As we walked over the neighbors my little hands in fists and a sour expression plastered on my face, my thoughts kept going to how this would affect me rather than how this will affect my father. "Now, Rhy-ann don't act this way. I'll be able to take to more places tomorrow, I promise." He cooed as we walked up to the door. I glared as I released my hands to their natural state, "Fine." I curtly replied. A woman opened the door about my mother's age and height; she warmly welcomed us and put on some tea.

My father spoke with the woman away from my prying ears; she smiled and nodded as he left. "My dear I have a son about your age." I nodded not really knowing why this should be my business, "Tom!" she called as she fetched the whistling kettle in the kitchen. A scurry of footsteps followed soon after her call, "Yeah, mum." The small skinny blonde boy said as he entered the sitting room, his brown eyes focused on me, "Who are you?" he asked. His tone wasn't of angst nor worry just a plain 'Who are you?', "Rhy-ann Cordray, your guest for the day." I answered as his mother came back in with the tea, "Tom this is Mr. Cordray's daughter, she will be spending the day with us." She said as she placed my cup on a side table next to me. "I expect you to be nice to her and treat her as a friend." She finished before sipping on her tea, "Yeah ok then." He said before shoving his hands into his jean pockets, "Do you like video games?" he asked I looked at him. Did I ever like video games but I simply nodded before following him to his room where he had an Xbox hooked up to his TV. That was how I spent the second day of my wild excursion in London.

Now I know what does that have to do with anything? But to me that was when I met my best friend, Tom Milsom. The next I told my dad I would hang with Tom and his friends than with him, my dad would simply nod while answering some questions about business issues. Sometimes it was just me and him; we would make up words and meanings while trying to determine if this was how English was thought of. Other times we would sit and watch 'Doctor Who' which thanks to him, I'm completely engulfed in, but mostly I would beg him to teach me how to play the guitar while he batted me away with his ukulele. All in all that was how I had spent the rest of my vacation, nothing more and nothing less.

**-Eleven years later-**

* * *

"Please put your seats back to the upright position as we now ready to land." The stewardess announced over the airplane intercom. I pulled out my headphones and starred out the little pane of glass as the clouds rose above us. Flying was wonderful, the only part I hated was the taking off it felt too forced. My mind went back to when I first came to London, with my dad and now here I was going back to bury him. My father had a heart attack, left me with his shares in the company which I sold off, and his house, which was now my new home. The work permit was rather hard to obtain but since I had enough money it only took a week, in that time I had my father cremated, flew my things to the house, and bought some recording equipment. Yes I wanted to be a musician, no I'm not famous and no I hadn't sold a single song, yet.

As the people flooded out I sat turning my Ipod to a song, no need to listen to others when I have this. I stood slowly up and gathered my things from the over head compartment, I knew I was alone, or should have been. The voice of Zooey Deschenal flowed through my ear buds; I slung my backpack over one shoulder. I turned to leave when my face came into full forced contact with the back of someone. I groaned as I rubbed my nose and pulled out my left ear bud, who was this random person?

I looked at my hand to make sure I wasn't bleed, "I'm sorry." A British voice cooed I looked up to see a guy, skinny, brown hair and shirt that remind me of a composition book.

"I'm not bleeding, so it's ok I suppose." I replied, "Don't I know you?" I asked trying to rack my brain, he looked familiar then it struck me before he spoke. "Alex Day! How are you?" I said looking at his shocked look turning into a broad smile, "YouTube?" he said as if I was a fan girl.

I shook my head, "Nope last summer. I was staying with my dad while you and Tom went on one of your adventures." He looked at me, "Then I had white blonde hair with pink tips." I said with a smile, "Oh right Tom's old American friend." He said slightly nodding as if there were more to the meaning.

"How are you? Why are you across the pond?" he asked as we moved forward to get out of the plane. "Good well ok, my father died and I'm moving into his house." Alex looked at me with a saddened face, "It's ok, I've only told family members so far." I reassured him.

He gave me a weak smile as we exited into the terminal, "Does Tom know your back?" he asked. I looked at him with shrug; I hadn't talked to Tom in a while, well since I last left. "Well I suppose you could tell him." I said grasping my backpack strap with both of my hands. He inhaled largely "Yeah maybe, that is if I can get him to talk to me." He said as he scanned the airport. "You too then?" I asked knowing that Tom had mostly abandoned our friendship when I told him I had a boyfriend back home. Alex nodded, "He doesn't agree with me, thinks I'm exploiting my fan base. Plus he has his own life to worry about." I ran my hand through my black hair, "I told him I had a boyfriend in the states when he tried to kiss me." Alex patted me on my shoulder, "Yeah I know. Are you still him?" I shook my head in reply. I didn't want to continue that topic so I diverted to another, "Are you still a YouTube star?" I asked with a small smile. He laughed, "Yeah I guess you call it that."

The crowds of people wanting to go the plane we just left began to gather, "I should get going. I'll see you around sometime okay?" I said before I walked away. "You know where to find me." He yelled waving his hand in the air.

After I caught a cab I should him my new address the rest of the day was a blur of me calling people, collecting flowers and condolences, and crying in my new house. This whole experience had been too much for me to handle with jet lag tugging me to the couch. I wiped my eyes as I starred at the white ceiling, memories and thought of my father ran through my mind at a faster pace than I wanted them to. The doorbell rang, moved my gaze to the door. I didn't want to get, I didn't want someone else telling me what a great man my dad was, someone reminding me that I'm here alone. I sat up slowly checked my makeup in the mirror and answered the door. At first I was taken back, the blue hair gave it away but his posture told me he was forced over here.

"Can I help you?" I asked leaning on the door frame. "My mum told me about what happened and I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for your loss." He said starring past me. He had never been one to tell me what he was feeling when he was feeling it and well when he did it was at an inappropriate time. "Thank you, Tom." I said not knowing what else I could say. He ran his hand through his hair as the wind messed it up a bit. "Would you like to come in?" I ask trying to be cordial, he nodded and I opened the door wider. When he walked past that when I noticed his outfit, it reminds me of when we were kids, jeans, t-shirt, jacket and sneakers. Not the clothes he usually wears I realize, I had developed my own sense in what clothing I wore, I was one of those rockabilly chicks but before though I use to try and be like Avril. The room felt hot, "Would like anything to drink?" my voice sounded distant and full of sorrow. "Sure, what do you have?" he asked as he sat down on the couch. I cleared my throat as I walked to the kitchen.

I opened the fridge door a bit too hard "I have Dr. Pepper, iced tea, lemonade, bottled water, Sam Adams and milk." I yell back at him. "I'm alright." He says weakly, I grab two beers and join him on the couch. I popped open the bottles hand him one and I drink the other, "So you're back." He said as I gulped down a drink, "Yeah for a while, I suppose." I said before I tipped the bottle back again. "I'm sorry for pushing you away for these past months." He said before he leaned back, taking a drink, "It's fine. I mean it happened and that's that, nothing we can do now but be awkward with one another." I said leaning forward on my knees. He let out a laugh, "Forced to accompany the same space because of an inevitable overbearing ending to a life." His voice sounded distant, I looked back at him over my shoulder, "Don't sound too thrilled about it." He smiled and shook the hair back over his eyes, "Death is only a part of life, but we should have talked before this." I nodded as I placed the bottle of beer on the floor. "Well I'll let you go away from this awkwardness if you want." I said leaning back into the comfort of the couch. "I wasn't one to shy away from awkward situations before and that hasn't change." He said with a smile, "Plus I don't believe leaving you here in this house is something you desire." I shrugged as I crossed my arms. He placed his bottle on an end table before he lightly pulled me closer to him. I let him pull me and he let me lay my head on his shoulder, before long the jet lag won and I was asleep.

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So this is my first Fanfic on here, it is also something that I want to continue, but I don't know for how long.


	2. Chapter 2

_Just say what you wanted to say_  
_I cannot stand these talks dear_  
_They only get us nowhere_  
_It's never resolved_  
_We only run around_

**_Falling Out Of Love At This Volume_**

**_By: Bright Eyes_**

* * *

I'm not sure what woke me up it was either the sharp pain I felt in my jaw or the light strumming of Tom's fingers on my guitar, either way I was up. I sat up moving my tightened jaw around, "How long was I asleep?" I asked as I massaged the sides of my face. Tom glanced up at me, "As long as you needed." He said before I lost him again to the sounds of music. I stood up and glance at the clock, seven. 'Seven in the evening or seven in the morning?' I thought as I stood up my spine popped as I stretched my back out. I picked up the bottles that were now empty, "Are you hungry?" I said as I proceed to the trash can. Tom finally stopped the melodic strumming, "Are you hungry?" he asked as he dragged his hand through the front of his blue hair. The sharp clanging of the bottles hitting the bottom of the trash can echoed in the kitchen, "Tom I asked you first." I said as I noticed on the bright green numbers on the microwave flashing 7:03 PM. 'Evening, I came to the house at about 3:30 pm so I was asleep for three and half hours.' I reasoned in my head as I walked to Tom who was now digging through the hall closet, "I didn't know you had finally learned how to play." He said as he found my Venom 49-key synthesizer. I placed my hands on my hips, "Tom it's a synthesizer, not really much to learn." I said as he proceeded to pull it out and plug it in. It only took a minute for him to learn which keys did a certain sound, "Ok can we go get something to eat now?" I asked as he glanced up with a broad smile.

He stood up slowly as if he was afraid it would disappear while we were gone. "Tom it's not going to vanish." I said as I walked over the white synthesizer. After the words rolled off the tip of my tongue, I felt the instant regret, "You did." He said before turning and walking out the door. His words hit me, left me feeling sick and unwanted. If I hadn't slept that little time I did I would have collapsed right then and there. I cleared my throat and wrapped my arms around my stomach to hold up my ever-decaying self-esteem.

He was standing on my lawn when I had collected myself enough to face him; his eyes were focused on the streetlights that had begun to shine. I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I walked slowly toward him, at times Tom is as gentle as a kitten and others he is as vicious as a wolverine. One only knows which he is by the words that so melodically flow from his mouth. "What are you thinking about?" I asked with caution as I followed his eye line. At first she thought he was looking at the stars, something he used to do when they were kids, but as she glanced back at him she knew he was staring at the streetlight. "Humans are wasteful beings." He said before he turned to me, "That's what traversed in my mind, so what do you want to indulge in?" I looked at him unsure if he was being the kitten or the wolverine, "Pizza sounds good." I answered in an insecure tone. Tom nodded as he moved his eyes to mine, "Let's walk then." His voice had a hint of excitement hidden behind the short answer.

As I followed Tom, he was always a faster walker than me, I watched as some people starred at him. I brushed it off as they had recognized him off of YouTube, "So Tom what have you been up to?" I said after the silence pounded on to me for too long. He gave a shrug, "Music. Trying to make something that the world can truly appreciate, even though that goes against human nature. Humans genuinely like to destroy something they don't understand." He was right on that topic, I had to give him credit for being the most honest person I knew and yet I didn't want to because that would mean I was wrong. He held the door open for me, the place was full of people chattering, the smell of fresh cooked bread intoxicated me and then Tom grabbed my arm at the elbow and pulled me to a table. A booth, "Silly isn't it." He said as he smiled his eyes looking around at the pictures on the wall. An old Italian mad standing in front of a building his arms crossed while a banner on the building read, 'Grand Opening'. "I suppose they wanted to give a sense of Nostalgia to the place." I said as a waitress walked over to us, Tom ordered a coke while I opted out of the caffeine high and ordered a glass of water. He started to tell me about how he found the place during one of his many night explorations. I listened intently not because it was a particularly good story; he stammered and paused a lot, but because that's what his voice does to me. It hypnotizes me, even if he gets side tracked by another thought or go on a rambling about what humans are accustomed too. I knew I was staring at him too long, he hated that and yet it was hard to pull my eyes away from him as he looked at me with those brown eyes. "Did you want anything else on the pizza?" the waitress's voice brought me back to my hunger. I looked at her, "What's on it again? I'm sorry I got lost in thought." She sighed with a small smile, "He ordered a half and half, one half with pepperoni, sausage, chicken, and Canadian bacon and extra cheese. The other half was mushrooms, black olives, bell peppers and extra cheese." She said as held her little pad. "Nope that sounds good to me." I said with a smile, she nodded and left.

As we ate I felt the tension change, we weren't mad at another anymore, but we weren't all buddy buddy like we used to be. Now we were just us trying to see if there was something to salvage out of the destruction we caused one another. "So how did Will, take your leaving?" he said before finishing up his drink. I looked at him; Will wasn't a subject that should have been brought up not now when we were just acting normal again. "He and I broke up." I said, short and sweet. He nodded, "Let's go back to your house so I can mess with more of your belongings." he said as he slid out of the booth. I let out a giggle and followed him, the sky was far darker than I expected at 8:45 pm, but then again I wasn't in Oklahoma anymore. The cool night air hit my skin, "I've missed it here." I said I breathed in the fresh scent of the town. Tom chuckled, "You act like it's been years since you've been here." I looked at him, "I was talking more about this feeling of home." He stopped his stride for a second before acting like I said nothing at all. The grass softened as we walked up to my door, "You better not break anything." I said as I pointed my finger at him. He smiled, "I can't assure you anything."


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of night went by in flashes, Tom making noises into melodies that would send me into a trance, jokes about how I've become like everyone else in the world and finishing the beer that was in the fridge. The light brushed away the dream I was having involving me and Tom fighting off a zombie horde who had cornered us in my father's room. I rolled over off my stomach and stretched my back against the hard wood floor. A voice filled the room as I became more aware of where I was, "Yeah you do that!" it said with a harsh and frustrated tone before a door slammed upstairs. I rubbed my face willing myself to get up. As I stood up I saw the last person I expected in my house, Alex. "What are you doing here?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't still dreaming. Alex let out a sigh before walking towards me, "I came here to see how you were doing," his words filled the gaps in my head as I realized the person who slammed the door was Tom. I nodded as he stopped and sat down on the couch. I walked over and joined him, "And he didn't like it." I said simply before rolling my eyes, Alex let out a chuckle, "You got that right love." I looked at the makeshift bed on the floor, a crumbled blanket that I didn't feel when I stood up and a throw pillow that I didn't remember getting. "Look I'll go since you're obviously alright," he stood up and I out of impulse grabbed his hand. My eyes gazed up at his face as he stood there in red skinny jeans and a black shirt with white triangles scattered on the shirt. "You know I could use as many friends here as possible," I spouted out as my eyes pleaded him to stay. He rubbed his face with his other hand before he looked at me. "Do you really think he's going to be any sort of friend to you? Honestly do you think he won't spout out some insult without thinking twice about it before the end of your first week back?" His words although hurtful and made out of spite, were in fact true.

Tom had this ability to make you reveal everything about your soul, your biggest fears, and the lowest times of your life. But when you think you can honestly tell him your opinion about something he likes, he uses all his information to attack you, either it's because he's an only child trying to get things his way or it's his own defense mechanism. The only problem was I was a sadist for his punishable words, I would go crawling back at the first kind tone spoken by him to me, and he knew this as well as every single one of our friends. For some unknown reason I wanted no, yearned for his approval of me and now with my father gone from this life, I needed his approval more so. As Alex's question filled my head with reason my heart overcame the sensible side, "Maybe this time it will be different." My words were weak and voice soft, he scoffed before he sat down next to me, "Fine, call me when you're free." He said as he stuck his hand out for my phone, I moved to reach into my back pocket and pulled the Droid out of it before handing it over to him.

He handed the phone back over to me, "Why did you put Charlie?" I asked looking at the name for his contact. Alex looked at me, "Because if I put 'Alex' don't you think he would know who it was? Plus he doesn't mind Charlie, he hadn't gotten as close to him as he had to me, and you His words were sensible, as most of his words were currently yet I couldn't help but feel like I was starting a betrayal against Tom. I nodded with a weak smile on my face, "I suppose I should go to see how he is." I said with a small shrug. Alex nodded before we both stood up, "I'll see around Rhy." He said as he pulled me into a hug. I had always hated hugs but nevertheless I hugged him back, as he pulled away my mind couldn't help but wonder up the stairs. I smiled a very weak smile as Alex left through the front door; I had crossed my arms as I began the nerve wrecking walk up to the room where Tom was held up. I flicked the light on as I walked through the deserted hallway trying to decide where Tom had run to. The light sound of a badly tuned piano came from a crack under a door, my hand rested gently on the knob as I braced myself for the worst. With a smooth twist of my wrist open the door, the dark interfered with my vision for a second but the melody coming from the piano led me to him.

"It's out of tune." My words tumble out of my mouth and fall onto the keys, he doesn't stop playing, and no words of acknowledgement join mine. Just the out of tune melodies dance about the room, my hand moves from its safe spot at my side to his shoulder. I see it in the dim light that floods the floor of my father's bedroom and instinctively jerk it back. My eyes begin to move around the room, the king sized bed made, the thick heavy curtains trying their best to keep the bright light from entering, and the desk with papers in their neat stacks. I move from Tom's side to the desk, the wood screams at me for disrupting it as I walk to it. A frame held a picture of him and me, I was about ten or so covered in paint, and he in his freshly pressed suit with hand prints on his face. At ten, I was destined to be an artist, influential like Picasso, delusional like Van Gogh and trapped with no technique or will to truly pursue the art. A frown is formed on my mouth, I don't know how it came to be but there it is. 'Why this picture?' I thought as I ran a finger over the edge of the frame. Silence falls around me, no musical notes prancing around in their awkwardly way. I turn to the piano, his chocolate eyes borrowing into mine. A rush of grief hits me in the gut, the tears fill up my eyes and I crumble to the floor.


End file.
